Orchids are my greatest love! I already have more than 10 specimens at home that are doing quite well and delight me with beautiful flowers every year. But it wasn't always like that. When I received my first two orchids as a birthday present, I didn't have a green thumb and didn't even know what to do with them. My ignorance resulted in one of my beauties dying and having to be thrown away. And the other one was on the same path. At this point I was sure - I'll learn everything there is to know about orchids to save my plant. And now, a few years later, my orchid is healthy and I know exactly what to do in every situation. It all started when I spotted the first wilted leaf. Are your orchid leaves also turning yellow and soft? I would be happy to share the possible causes and solutions with you.
Soft orchid leaves are a common problem that many orchid owners encounter. The same thing happened to me back then. For the first few months, my orchids' leaves were upright, stiff, and shiny green - exactly how they should look. And then one of them slowly began to wither. I wasn't discouraged because it was only one sheet. But after a few days the others followed suit. And what was even worse - the second orchid also had the first signs of soft leaves. You can imagine how disappointed and powerless I felt. I really wanted to know what I did wrong and fix my mistakes to save the plant. Here is what I found as possible causes.
... because of too much water
The number 1 rule of orchid care that everyone will tell you is: Don't overwater! This became so firmly embedded in my mind that I was always very sparse with watering (which was also my biggest mistake). In fact, overwatering is one of the most common reasons for yellow leaves on orchids. The yellowing means a slow loss of the green chlorophyll that sustains energy production.
It is wrong to say that you should water orchids every 7 or 10 days. Only water when your orchid is dry. This tip is really worth its weight in gold and will ensure that your plant thrives.
To learn when is a good time to water and which methods work best,read this article.
The solution:Allow the orchid to dry completely before attempting to water it again. If it is severely overwatered and you feel that the substrate is taking a long time to dry, you can try a more drastic method to save the roots. Remove the orchid from the pot and remove all of the substrate. Allow the roots to air dry for two days or even longer. This will save both the roots and the leaves from wilting.
... because of too little water
Okay, I heard back then that you don't need to water orchids too much. And that's why I always watered sparingly. But that was a mistake because orchid leaves turn yellow and soft even if there is insufficient watering.
The solution:I saved my second orchid by using this hydrating method. Since then I have known: when the orchid leaves are soft andhanging limply, the substrate must be checked. If it is dry, the plant should be watered immediately. I saved my orchid by submerging it in water. The YouTuber MissOrchidGirl explains exactly how this works in the video below. So you should immerse the orchid and the plastic pot in normal irrigation water for about 10-15 minutes. Then drain well and that's it. Even after a few days, the soft, limp leaves begin to recover.
... because of root rot
Overwatering often leads to root rot. This can also be a possible reason why orchid leaves become soft and yellow.
The solution:Repot! The orchid roots can usually recover from minor damage. But if they are rotten, thenOnly repotting helps. The rotten and dried roots are removed and only the healthy ones are left on so that the plant does not waste valuable energy. If the healthy parts are too wet (e.g. after overwatering), you should definitely let them dry thoroughly before placing the orchid in the new substrate.
There are also other reasons why the orchidwith yellow onesOR soft, shriveled leaves react. However, if they become soft AND yellow, then one of the care mistakes mentioned above is probably to blame.
Also interesting:These are the most well-known diseases and pests of orchids.
Will the limp leaves recover?
Now that you have already found the cause of the leaf problem, the orchid is on the way to recovery. Unfortunately, the soft, yellow leaves will never be as stiff and green as they used to be. But if everything is right with the care, the plant willform new roots and leaves, which grow firm, green and shiny.
Please note:If only one (!) orchid leaf becomes soft or yellow and not all of them, then it may be that the life cycle of this leaf has simply ended and it is no longer needed by the plant.
In summary, you can save an orchid if the leaves turn yellow and soft, but you need to act as quickly as possible and pinpoint the cause. This is the only way to take the necessary measures such as repotting or changing the watering routine so that the plant is saved.
